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Good Campfire Songs
Good Campfire Songs
popular song suggestions. These songs and are easy to play with just one guitar, a few chords, and some easy strumming patterns. They sound great to strum on the front porch, jamming with your friends, or strumming around the campfire. So many popular songs are built from the same handful of open position chords like A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, F, and G. A basic knowledge of just nine or ten open position chords and a few easy strum patterns will get you playing thousands and thousands of tunes. Then add a bar chord or two and you can play probably 90% of all the songs ever recorded. For this campfire song list think in the midset of single acoustic guitar and simple stripped down songs, and you want to put your own spin on these. If the recorded version starts off arpeggiated and you dont want to play it that way, try a strumming version with easy 8th note strum patterns like d/d/u/u/d/u or d/u/d/u/u/d/u. Continue to use songs as vehicles to help propel your playing to the next level. Use a song as a vehicle to practice your chord changes, work on your strumming, and to work on your rhythm and timing. Also, remember to keep pushing yourself on guitar by continually challenging yourself with harder chord changes, harder rhythms, and more challenging songs. Keep pushing yourself on your guitar and keep tackling challenging goals as that is how you will get your playing to the Next Level! Enjoy the below song list and feel free to email me any questions, Best of luck.and, as always..rock on! David Taub www.nextlevelguitar.com thenextlevelguitar@yahoo.com
-The Eagles Take It Easy written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey and originally recorded by The Eagles. Basically you can play a killer strumming solo acoustic version with just five or six open position chords. Its a lot of fun to play as many Eagles songs transcribe very well to solo acoustic guitar try a few. -Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville this classic fun song can be strummed acoustically with just five open position chords and a simple eighth note feel strum pattern. Super fun to play and everyone knows all the words. This song is about a drink that Buffet discovered in Austin, Texas. -Oasis Wonderwall five open position chords and some easy fingerings will nail down an acoustic version of this popular tune. Original recorded version played with a capo at the 2nd fret but you can set the capo anywhere to match your vocal range. -Poison Every Rose Has Its Thorn this 80s power ballad is super easy song to play with basically four open position chords that will get you strumming an acoustic solo version of this tune. -America Horse With No Name originally recorded by the band America. One of the easiest songs to play once you get the feel of the rhythm pattern. Same two open chords repeat through the entire song. -Foo Fighters Times Like These four chords and four chord embellishments will get you playing a version of this fun tune on solo acoustic guitar. Listen carefully to the rhythm to dial in the feel. -Don McLean American Pie eight open position chords will have you strumming this epic tune written about the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, (the day the music died). The song tells the story about so many events from the 60s and 70s check out the lyrics. -Bob Dylan Knocking On Heavens Door originally written by Bob Dylan and covered by tons of other artists a version of this tune can be nailed down with four open position chords repeated through the entire tune! -Bob Seager Turn The Page basically five open position chords and a slow strum will get you this one. -Matchbox 20 Push another song that sounds great stripped down for solo acoustic guitar. Just four basic open position chords and a few embellishments will get you playing a version of this one rock it out! -Neil Young Heart of Gold four open position chords and easy strumming will nail down a version of this classic tune. Original version by Young features backup vocals by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. -John Denver Take Me Home Country Roads basically five open position chords will get you strumming a version of this classic tune. -James Blunt Youre Beautiful this mega pop hit can be played with basically five open position chords. Original version played with a capo at the 8th fret but you can set the capo anywhere to match your vocal range. -Joan Osborne One of Us Origianlly written by Eric Bazilian of The Hooters and recorded by Joan Osborne. Fun song to play that can be had with just four open position chords. Joans recorded version played with a capo at the 2nd fret but you can set the capo anywhere to match your vocal range. -Outkast Hey Ya- four open position chords throughout the entire song can nail down an acoustic interpretation of this tune. If you want to listen and be inspired by an acoustic version of this smash hit song that will send chills down your spine listen to the version by Obadiah Parker, (Mat Weddle), on YouTube amazing! Shows you how you can strip down songs and make them your own and play them in an acoustic solo or campfire fashion take notes from Mat as his rendition is amazing. 2
-Simon & Garfunkel Mrs. Robinson written by Paul Simon. Six open poistion chords will get you playing a version of this classic tune. -Bruce Springsteen Atlantic City many Springsteen songs translate well to solo acoustic guitar. The man can write great songs with great lyrics, this one can be played with just four open position chords. Break up the strum patterns as the chords change fast in this one enjoy! -The Cranberries Zombie you can do a solo acosutic version of this tune with just four open position chords. Basically its just the same four chords repeated through the entire song fun to play! -Skid Row I Remember You sounds great on acoustic and six open position chords will have you playing a fun solo acoustic version of this 80s power ballad. However, good luck singing it as this song is crazy high vocally so try dropping it down an octave or in a different key if you dare to sing along. -Alice in Chains Nutshell leave out the lead guitar and jam this killer tune using just four open position chords. Listen carefully to nail down the rhythm and have fun with it! -Ani DiFranco Letter To A John four open position chords repeat through entire song. Original version in Drop D tuning, (just drop low E string one whole step to D), and played with a capo at the 2nd fret. -Howie Day Collide Easy song to play with just four open position chords and some bouncing on the low root notes while strumming. The song was originally recorded with a capo at the 4th fret but you can capo up anywhere to match your vocal range. -Third Eye Blind Hows It Gonna Be - Basically four open position chords will get you strumming a version of this tune about lost love. There is a strong melodic lick that runs through the song that you can experiment with it once you get down the main rhythms. The song was originally recorded with a capo at the 3rd fret but you can capo up anywhere to match your vocal range. -Tom Petty Mary Janes Last Dance basically five open position chords and you will be strumming a version of this classic tune. There is some trademark rhythmic chucking and hammering-on to chords but you can play a basic version at first then embellish as you go along! -The Black Crowes She Talks To Angels Song origianlly recorded in Open E Tuning, E B E G# B E. And you need that tuning to get the tone of this tune. Fairly easy to play with just a few open chords once you get the rhythms down a fun one to challenge yourself with.
-The Animals House Of The Rising Sun classic tune that is easy to strum and play with just four basic open position chords plus the F chord. Original version arpegiates the chords but strumming this one is easy. -Cat Stevens Wild World Basically six open position chords and the F chord will nail a version of this tune. Fun to play and you can add in some other chord embellishments if you like once you get the tune down. -What AWonderful World first recorded by Louis Armstrong. With six easy open position chords and one bar chord you can nail a super fun acoustic strumming version of this classic tune. -Train Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) this song is a lot of fun to play and basically five open position chords and the F chord will get you strumming a solo acoustic version of this popular tune. -Alice in Chains Down in a Hole so many AIC tunes translate well to acoustic guitar strumming versions. Here five basic open chords and the F chord will do the job on this dark minor key tune have fun! -Audioslave I Am The Highway five basic open position chords and the F chord will get you through an acoustic version of this tune. Many Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, and Audioslave songs translate well to solo acoustic pieces. Check out some of his other tunes and how he can translate and strip down a killer full band song to a beautiful acoustic solo piece great stuff! -The Beatles Youve Got To Hide Your Love Away Five open position chords, the F chord, and a little chord embellishing will get you a version of this tune in a solo acoustic format enjoy! -The Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication - four open position chords played with one lick in between and the F chord will get you playing a version of this tune about the dark side of Hollywood. - Roberta Flack Killing Me Softly With His Song composed by Charles Fox this was a number one smash hit performed by Roberta Flack and covered by many including the hip-hop band the Fugees. Basically seven open position chords and the F chord will nail down a solo acoustic version of this song. -Soul Asylum Runaway Train who can forget the music video with the pictures of missing kids shown throughout the song. Fun song to play solo acoustically and four open position chords and the F chord will get you rocking a version of this popular tune. -Five For Fighting Superman (Its Not Easy) Basically five open chords and the F chord can get your playing this pretty song on solo acoustic guitar. Mainly piano arranged for guitar. -Creedence Clearwater Revival, CCR Have You Ever Seen The Rain basically six open position chords, a few embellishments, and the F chord will have you playing this classic tune. Add in a few licks once you have the main parts nailed down. -The Shins New Slang three open chords and the F chord will get you strumming an acoustic version of this fun song that was featured on the soundtrack of the movie Garden State. Quick changes make this a fun one to work on your chord changing skills. -Coldplay Fix You Basically six open position chords and the F chord will get you this pretty tune. Original version played with a capo at the 3rd fret, but you can capo it up at a fret that best matches your vocal range. Many Coldplay songs translate well to solo acoustic tunes try a few.
-Tracy Chapman Baby Can I Hold You basically seven open position chords and one bar chord will get you playing a version of this slow ballad fun song to jam. -Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit a fun solo acoustic version of this classic tune can be played with just five open positionchords and one bar chord. Get creative and have fun with it! -Dishwalla Counting Blue Cars four open chords and a bar chord will have you jamming a version.